The Fifth Marauder
by Loopy Looney Charny
Summary: Things would have been different. Things would have been better, if iI had been the fifth Marauder...  My take on if there could have been a fifth Marauder.


**The Fifth Marauder**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of the rights involved.

This story was inspired by another story by the same title. Unfortunately I can't remember who wrote it, and I can't find it again.

I would have been the fifth Marauder.

If I had, everything would be different. The world as you know it would be less than a distant memory of could-have-beens.

I would have met James first. I would have bumped into him on the platform, and we would have helped each other to get our trunks onto the train.

I would have met Sirius next. Catching him as he nearly fell off the platform onto the tracks, in his vain attempt to escape his mother. I would have pointed them out to him, and he would have noticed the loving look both his dad and brother gave him.

Remus would have been next; as he entered the compartment I was in. He would have curled up in the seat opposite me and read his book as I did the same.

Peter would have come next. Shy and stumbling. I would have made him feel welcome; sharing the picnic my mum had packed me.

I would have even met Lily and Severus, both becoming friends with me as we rode across the lake together.

I would have sat under the Sorting Hat as it mumbled about kindness, ambition, hardworking, studious, brave, mischievous and wanting to correct the mistakes others have made.

He would have placed me in Gryffindor, knowing that I would run in to save a friend without a second thought.

I would have talked to all four of them at the table; connecting them as friends sooner than if they were by themselves.

I would have found out about Remus before the end of first year, and confronted him. I would have convinced him to tell the others and got him to accept and connect with his wolf, making his transformations so much easier.

The Marauders would have been a prank group who didn't pick on one house or person. They would have made the school feel happy, even when the darkest of times came.

I would have been a brother to Peter, like James, Sirius and Remus were to each other.

Peter never would have been tempted by Lucius Malfoy in his sixth year. He would have come to me, and I would have comforted him, and he would have never taken the Dark Mark.

Sirius would have never lost touch with his family. He would have stuck to his brother despite his house. His brother would have lived, never taking the Dark Mark. His father wouldn't have lost the will to live, and got his mother before she got him.

I would have deflated James' head by third year. Making him realize that there are other people in the world, with problems more important than his. People who would love him, if he learned not to love himself more than others.

Severus wouldn't have turned into a cold and bitter Death Eater. He wouldn't have lost Lily as a friend. His crush would have turned into sibling love.

Lily would have learned to live and laugh more. She would have given James a chance by fourth year, and fallen in love a lot sooner. She would have reconnected to her sister, their love for each other re-kindling.

Harry would have been born a year earlier. Voldemort defeated a year sooner. Lily and James would have gone into hiding. And Peter would have been Secret Keeper, but he never would have told, not even under the Cruciatus.

Unfortunately, Voldemort would have found the house anyway. His snake would have followed one of us. He would have broken the wards, but we would have known in advance. We would have all been there to fight him, but he would have stunned us all.

It would have been different because the prophecy would have been different.

It would have told of the second rising of the Marauders, as close and powerful as the Founders. It would have told of the youngest having a shield that would shield against all, even the Killing Curse. It would have told of the defeat of Voldemort, and the uniting of all creatures.

Harry would have grown up in a big, loving family. He would have been kind and just.

He would have fallen in love and made friends. He and his friends would have defeated Voldemort, not because of the prophecy, but because they thought it was the right thing to do. They would have united everyone, human and creature alike, and the world would have lived in peace, realizing that Dark did not equal Evil, just as Light did not equal Good.

Harry would have had a family of his own, and the first generation of Marauders would have died old and grey, playing one final prank.

I would have been the fifth Marauder, if Voldemort hadn't stormed my house, killing my father, when he refused to join.

I would have been the fifth Marauder if my mother hadn't lost the will to live.

I would have been the fifth Marauder, if my uncle hadn't hit me that one last time…

It would have been different, it would have been better, if I had been the fifth Marauder.

**Authors Babble: **What did you think? I got inspired last night to write this when I read the inspiration as stated at the beginning. For those of you who are a waiting my other story updates. They are in progress, but unfortunately real life has gotten in the way, school, holiday to the snow, sickness, and my grandfather died not long ago. I wasn't really inspired then, but I have been working on them. Unfortunately what I want to say hasn't come out on the page. I have also been working on a novel, I think it should be pretty good – well, I like it anyway. So tell me what you think!

Ciao for now,

xx


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